Organic waste collected during Ganesha visarjan being made into manure

SURAT: Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), which had filled up 21 artificial lakes built for idol immersion with 12 million litres of water, has started to neutralize it of colours and chemicals. The organic waste from the artificial lakes had been collected separately to make manure.
More than 57,800 Ganesha idols of different shapes, colours and sizes on Thursday were immersed in the 21 artificial lakes built by SMC at a cost of Rs3.5 crore. These lakes were filled up with 12 million litres of water to facilitate idol immersion, which had got contaminated with colours and chemicals.
All the idols from the artificial lakes are now being taken in trucks and containers to Essar jetty at Hazira where deep sea immersion will take place. This is being done as per the directives of National Green Tribunal and Central Pollution Control Board to prevent pollution of Tapi River’s water.
“We have started collecting used water from each of the artificial lake. It will be taken to common effluent treatment plant (CETP) at Pandesara where the hazardous effects of colour and chemical will be neutralized and then released into the creek. This will ensure that no harm is caused to marine life and the environment,” said DC Gandhi, additional city engineer, SMC.
On Thursday, when the devotees took the idols for immersion in the artificial lakes, they were asked to throw the organic waste into containers. About 13.5 tonnes of organic waste was collected and this is being sent to SMC-run compost plants for making manure. In all, 210 tonnes of waste was generated in the city on the day of Ganesh visarjan, sources said.